In my last post I talked about what the Bible says is “The Truth,” as well as why former Jehovah’s Witnesses should consider finding a new church.
Today, I am going to focus on the practical aspects of this topic. How exactly do you find a new church, and what can you expect when you get there?
If the thought of finding a new church feels overwhelming, I recommend a few small steps to help make the process a little easier.
Step 1- Pray
This is the very first and most important step. Ask the one who created you, loves you and promises to lead you where he wants you to go.
James 1:5 (NIV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Step 2- Create a non-negotiable checklist
It is important to know ahead of time what you are not willing to compromise on. Take note of what’s important to you and use it as your guide. If I were searching for a new church today, my list would look like this:
- Christ must be the center of everything.
- They must teach sound doctrine. This is one reason why reading the Bible on your own is so important. Scripture warns us repeatedly to be on our guard against false teachers and prophets. We do not want to be misled.
- The members of the church must have love amongst themselves- (John 13:35). Take some time to observe the people. Are they kind to one another? Do they socialize with one another? Is there a coffee hour or time for fellowship after the service? Are there groups that meet outside of church? Do they appear to be friends?
- Feeling welcome is a must. Discernment and prayer will help with this. On your first visit, it is of course normal to be nervous. But you should still feel like you are welcome there. You should feel safe. There should be warm smiles in your direction and hopefully, some kind souls who introduce themselves.
Step 3- Check out their website and online services
Thanks to Covid, many churches now offer online resources, so you can get a feel for what they believe and teach, before ever stepping foot inside. Start by looking around their website. They may have a mission statement, as well as a link to watch the Sunday service virtually. This way, you will have an idea of what to expect when you attend in person.
Step 4- Go!!! Take a deep breath. You got this.
Even though I loved my current church from day one, I didn’t want to commit too quickly and regret it later. So, I continued my search and visited a handful of churches in my area.
I leaned that I felt most comfortable in a non-denominational protestant church. This is only my opinion, but for me, these churches proved to be the easiest to transition to, after belonging to a Kingdom Hall. They are at least a good starting point. However, don’t let that stop you from checking out other denominations. Listen for the Holy Spirit and keep your checklist in mind.
What I like about non-denominational churches is that there seems to be less emphasis on man-made traditions and rules. There is also no governing body. Instead, there are committees made up of church members, and decisions are made by voting. The sermon is a lesson crafted from a Bible story or passage.
I also like that everyone else also comes from different backgrounds and denominations. And these differences make for a beautiful blend of experiences that strengthen the church.
Of course, I am not sure if this is true for all non-denominational churches. This is just what I experienced during my exploration.
Ok, let’s say you found a church, and you are ready to attend your first Sunday service.
Knowing what to expect may be the difference between enjoying your time and running away screaming.
The following is a brief collection of items that I struggled with as a former Jehovah’s Witness, when I first started going to my new church. I plan on making entire posts on many of these topics in the future, so I will not go into much detail today.
- Phrases, terms, or words that will most likely be used at the new church
- Trinity– This is a tough one, and for fear that I will not be able to explain it fully, I will not even attempt it. It is something I continue to research, and rather than focusing on the mystery of this term, I view it as a study of God’s character- perfect and beautiful. I encourage you to prayerfully research this on your own. For now, just hold this teaching with an open palm.
- Cross– There may even be a cross hanging front and center when you walk in. Just a brief note on this, which helped me. Whether the original language says “cross” or “stake” or “tree” doesn’t matter. What matters is that Jesus suffered and was killed for our sins. Try not to get too hung up on this term. Also, in the churches that I have been to, I have only seen the cross used as a reminder of our Lord, not as an idol to be worshipped or prayed to.
- God- Most churches will not use God’s name (Yahweh or Jehovah) very often. They will usually call him God, Heavenly Father, or God Almighty. This will take some time to get used to. But in all my research, what helped me most was noticing that Jesus primarily called him “Father” in the Bible. So, that is good for me too.
- The Lord’s Prayer– During the worship service, many churches will recite the Lord’s prayer. It is usually said before or after the freestyle prayer for individuals, our community and the world. It is scripture memory and tradition. Personally, I have never been bothered by this. In fact, I love the idea of memorizing and reciting scripture together. I would even love to do it more.
- Bible
- You will not find a copy of The New World Translation there. (More on this in a future post.) You do not have to bring a Bible with you, but you certainly can if you want to. Many churches will have Bibles stored in the seat back in front of you.
- During the service, you will not be asked to look up multiple scriptures. Instead, two or three are read out loud before the sermon begins.
- Music
- Music will be sprinkled throughout the service. The person who announces the song will tell you if you should stand or not.
- The style of music varies widely among different churches. I have been to some with a rock band and some that sing traditional hymns. I appreciate and enjoy all of it as an expression of faith. Although, I personally prefer the traditional hymns, and I wonder if it is because they remind me of the songs from Kingdom Melodies, (aka Sing to Jehovah).
- The Church Service Itself
- Clothing– You should wear whatever you feel comfortable worshiping in. Most members of non-denominational churches wear pants or jeans. If you are worried about what to wear the first time, I would say that business-casual is a good option. But really, everyone should feel welcome regardless of how they are dressed.
- Length– The entire service usually lasts for about an hour.
- Study/Preparation– There will not be a Q&A portion. You do not have to study prior to the service.
- Donations– An offering plate may be passed, but many members prefer to donate online now. You do not have to frantically search in your pockets for change. Passing the plate without adding anything to it is perfectly acceptable.
- Communion (there will be a future post on this)- There are differences in how churches observe communion. Many non-denominational churches practice “open communion” which means that all are welcome to partake. Usually, a plate with bread is passed, followed by the wine/grape juice. If you do not feel comfortable, just pass the plate. Many churches choose to observe communion once a month, but this varies among denominations.
I could fill an entire book on this topic alone, but hopefully this will be enough to help make your transition a little easier.
For what it’s worth, after years of prayer and research, I am at complete peace with all these differences now. And I am fully convinced that it is possible to be full of faith and worship God whole heartedly, with a new church family.
Praying for you on your journey!
Thank you for reading!